Final five ‘Last Comic Standing’ contestant Joe Machi: ‘I’m on the right track to get to do the things I’ve always wanted to do”

There are only five competitors remaining on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” and State College comedian Joe Machi is one of them.

The challenge on Thursday’s episode tasked the comedians with roasting actor Gilbert Gottfried in front of a live audience. Modeled after the “Comedy Central Roast” series, each contestant took turns poking fun at the actor and each other.

Machi went first and wasted no time before roasting everyone in the room:

“My competitors are here tonight. I would roast them person by person, but none of them are famous and they’re all going to lose.”

Not even the audience was safe from Machi.

“Do you know why you’re all in the audience? Because you don’t have any talent. If you had even the slightest bit of talent, and no shame, you would be Gilbert Gottfried right now.”

Machi didn’t make it to the final five without a fight. Not only did he fail to win the roast challenge and earn immunity, but for the second week in a row he was chosen to compete in an elimination round, this time against fellow comedian Karlous Miller.

Unlike last week, the judges were able to quickly decide which of the two comedians had the best standup set. Miller failed to impress the judges with his jokes about homeless people, while Machi scored big laughs with jokes about politics, airport security and dating troubles.

“I asked out a lady recently and she said, ‘I would rather kill myself than go out with you.’ I’m like, ‘Those weren’t your only two options.’ ”

Machi and the remaining comedians will perform in the finals starting next week after they receive advice from guest mentor Jay Leno. Regardless of the outcome, Machi had this to say about his initial success:

“I’m really happy I’m going to the final five because it feels like I’m on the right track to get to do the things I’ve always wanted to do.”

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